The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-12-14


6,000 miles away. But can hear in the foot
step Of that young man, on his way to the
house Of worship this morning, step not only
of a lifetime Of usefulness, but the coming
step of eternal joys of heaven yet millions
of miles away.
There are magnificent possibilities before
each Of you young men of the stout heart,
and the buoyant step aud the bounding
spirit. I would marshal you for grand
achievement. God now provides for you the
fleet and the arnor and the Notifications
WHO'S on the Lords side? The captain of the
zouaves in ancient times, to encourage them
enemies, said: Come. my men, look these
fellows in the face. They are 5000, you are
500. Surely the match is even" That
speech gave them the victory. Be not, my
hearer, dismaved at any time b. II SEAMS
an immense odds against you. IS ~. ...ile, is
want Of education. are men, are devils
against yous Though the ,nultitudes of earth
and hell confront You. sand up to the
charge. With 1,o0JG00 against yoa the
match is just even. Nay, you have decided
advantage. If Gui be for us, who can be
against us? Thus protected, you need not
spend much time in answering your assail-
ants.
Many years ago word came to RE that two
impostorS, as temperance lecturers, had been
speaking in Ohio III various places and Civ
ing their experience, and they told their
audience that they had long Eecn intimate
with me and had become ,iranaaras by dining
at my table, where | always hail liquors of
all sorts Indignant to the last degree
went down to Patrick Campbell. chief Of
Brooklyn police, saying was going to start
that night to Ohio to have these VII
lians arrested. and I wanted him to
tell me how to make the arrest He smiled
and sad: 40 not waste your time by chas-
ing these men. &c home and do Your work,
and they can do YOU no harm I took his
counsel and all was well. Long ago made
up my mind that if one will put his trust in
God and be faithful to duty he need not fear
any evil. Have God on your side, young
man, and al the combined forces Of earth
and hell can do no damage.
And this leads me to say that the Tnlghtlest
of all defense 70: a young man IS the posses
sion OF thorough religious principle. Nothing
can take the place Of it. He may have man
nels that would put to shame the graceful
ness and courtesy of a Lord CheS! !erfeld. For
eign languages may drop from his tongue:
He may be able to discuss literatures and
laws and foreign customs. He may WELD
pen of unequaled polish and power. His quick
ness and tact may qualify him TOR the high
est salary OF the counting house. He may be
as sharp as Herod and as strong as Samson,
with as fine locks as those which hung Absa-
lon, still he is not safe from contamina-
tion. The more elegant his manner, and the
more fascinating his dress, the more peril.
Satan does not care much for the allegiance
of coward and illiterate being. He cannot
bring him into efficient service. BIT he loves
to storm that castle of character which has
in it the most spoils and treasures It was
not some crazy craft creeping along the coast
with a valueless cargo that the pirate at:
tackled, bat the ship, full winged and tagged,
plying betwee: great ports, carrying ITS
million of specie. The more your natural
and acquired accomplishments. the more
need of the religion of Jesus. That does not
cut in upon or hack Up any smoothness OF
it arrests that in the soul which ought to be
arrested, and propels chat which ought
to be propelled. 1t fills up the gulleys: 1t
elevates and transforms. When the Holy
Spirit .impreSes the image Of God on the
heart he does not spoil the canvas. If in all
the 1nulsitudes of young men upon whom re
ligion has acted you could ind one nature
Weld this proposition, You may now have
enough strength of character to repel the
various temptations to gross wlckedness
which assail you, but I do not know in
what strait you may be thrust at some
future time Nothing short Of the grace Of
the cross may then be able to deliver you
from the lions You are not meeker than
Moses, nor holier than David, nor more pa
tient than Job, and you ought not to consider
yourself invulnerable. You may have some
weak point Of character that you have never
discovered, and in some hour when you
are assaulted the Philistines will be
upon thee. Samson Trust not in your
good habits, or your early training, or
your pride OF character; nothing short
Of the arm Of Almighty God will be sufficient
to uphold you You look forward to the
world sometimes with a chilling dependency.
Cheer up! I will tell you how you all may
make fortune. Seek first the kingdom OF
God and his righteousness and all other things
will be added unto you" know you do not
want to be mean in this matter. Give God
the freshness Of your life. You will not have
the heart to drink down the brimming cup of
altar. To Saviour so infinitely generous
you have not the heart to act like
that. That is not brave, that is not
honorable, that IS not manly. Your greatest
want in ali the world IS a new heart. In Gods
name I tell you that. And the Blessed Spirit
presses through the solemnities and privi-
leses of this holy hour. Fut the cup Of life
etc, nal to your thirsty lips Thrust it not
back. Mercy offers it, bleeding mercy, long
suffering mercy. Reject all other friend
ships; be ungrateful for all other kindness,
prove recreant TO all other bargains, but
despise Gods love for your immortal soul
don't you do that
would like to see some Of you this hour
press out of the ranks of the world and lay
your conquered spirit at the feet of Jesus.
This hoCr is no wandering vagabond stagger
ing over the earth; it IS a winged messenger
of the skies whispering mercy to thy soul.
Life is smooth now, but after while it may
be rough wild and precip;tate. There comes
a crisis in the history of every man. We
seldom understand that turning point until
it is far past. The road Of life is forked and
I read on two signboaris: This is the way
to happiness y This is the way to ruin"
How apt are we to pass the forks Of the road
without thinking whether it comes out at the
door of bliss or the gates of darkness.
Many years ago stood on the anniversary
platform with minister of Christ who made
this remarkable statement:
Thirty years ago two young men started
out in the evening to attend the Park Theatre,
New York, where play was to be acted in
which the cause OF religion was to be placed
in a ridiculous and hypocritical light. They
came to the steps. The consciences Of both
s,note them. One started to so home, but
returned again to the door, and yet had
not courage to en-; cr, and finally de-
parted. But the other young man entered
the pit of the theatre. 1t was the turning
point in the history of those two young men.
The man who entered was caught in the
whirl of temptation. He sank deeper and
deeper in infamy. he was lost. The other
Young man was saved, and he now stands
before you to bless God that for twenty years
he has been permitted to preach the Gospel.
ssRe;o ;oice, o young man. in thy youth and
let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy
youth; but know thou that for all these